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Monday, April 10, 2017

3 Ways to Dial Down Your Own Drama

Meet Cindi McMenamin an author friend and colleague of mine. You will love her real and common sense approach to family living. She presents 3 ways to avoid letting drama and worry be a part of your life. Her ideas work because they are based on wisdom from the Father of us all. She has just released a new book and is offering you an opportunity to win one. See below for details. Blessings, Lori

3
Ways to Dial Down Your Own Drama

By
Cindi McMenamin

Is there a little too much drama in your
life?

If you’re like me, you’ve often said –
or thought – I don’t do drama.

Yet,
as much as you and I would like to shut the chaos, confusion, and cattiness out
of our lives and convince ourselves we don’t do drama, it has a way of creeping
into our lives anyway.

Drama happens when unexpected
circumstances hit and we are unprepared to handle them. And drama happens when
we react emotionally, rather than respond maturely, to whatever comes our way.

I’d like to think I’m never the cause of
anyone else’s drama. But in reality,
I can play into unnecessary drama at times without even realizing it.

Whether our drama is the petty stuff
(like being gossiped about or having a bad day) or the truly painful stuff that
catches us off guard (like a cancer diagnosis, the ending of a friendship, or
suddenly losing someone we love), how we respond makes all the difference – or
all the drama – in the world.

You and I can learn how to maturely
respond – rather than emotionally react – to what life brings us so that we can
dial down the drama, diffuse it, or eliminate it altogether.

Here
are three steps to help keep yourself in check and dial down the drama so your
emotions don’t get the best of you:

1.Consider the
bigger picture.
Life – and therefore every circumstance you encounter – is meant to conform you
to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29). Once you consider this, you can relax
and realize God knows what He’s doing in the circumstances He’s allowing. He’s
often showing you something about yourself and your relationship with Him. Be
teachable by considering what He wants to teach you in the moment. When you
consider the bigger picture you can focus on passing the test, rather than
failing it through unnecessary drama.

Capture your thoughts. In 2
Corinthians 10:5 we are instructed
to take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ because we are in
a spiritual war in which the enemy will do his best to run rampant through
our thought life, creating doubt, fear, and confusion.

To take our thoughts
captive to the obedience of Christ means capturing or binding them with the
truth of God’s Word. Instead of entertaining a loose thought like “I can’t get
through this situation” capture that thought with the truth of God’s Word: “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Or, instead of entertaining the thought
“I’m alone in this” capture that thought with the truth that Christ has said
He’ll never leave you nor desert you (Hebrews 13:5). The more we know of God’s
Word, the better we will be able to tame our reckless, wild thoughts.

Correct Your Thinking. When you
begin to feel overwhelmed by life and start to freak out, ask yourself:
“What am I believing about God that isn’t true?” In other words, focus on
the facts, not your feelings. What are the facts about God when your
feelings are telling you otherwise? When our feelings lead us down a dark
tunnel of despair, we need to switch on the facts of what we know about
God to direct us back out. When we know Who
God is and what He is capable of, our worries, fears, and freak-outs can be
stilled.

Would
you like to win a free copy of Cindi’s newest book, Drama Free? Comment below
with one or two words that cause or represent drama in your life and then go to
her website and sign up for her monthly e-newsletter and weekly blog. You’ll be
entered into a drawing for a free, signed copy of the book. The winner will be
announced here next week. (U.S. mailing addresses only please.)

Cindi McMenamin is a national speaker and author who
helps women and couples strengthen their

Hello

Thank you for stopping by Eternal Moments... Helping families to build connections that last a lifetime. Join me as we discuss core matters-- the concerns of our hearts and souls as they relate to family-life and spiritual growth. Find more great parent resources over at 1Corinthians13Parenting.com by clicking on the 1C13P tab and if you would like some parent coaching or a speaker for your next women's, mom's, or parent event click on the tab labeled Lori's Website. Thanks again for hanging out with me at Eternal Moments. With faith, hope, and love, Lori